DOJ clears 2 sisters in Ramos slay

The Department of Justice (DOJ) cleared Ester Ramos- Bailey and Leticia Ramos yesterday in the killing of their sister, Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Assistant Secretary Alicia Ramos last April 24.

In a four-page amended resolution, State Prosecutor Emmanuel Velasco also recommended the filing of robbery with homicide charges, instead of murder and theft, against family helper Roberto "Obet" Lumagui and his three cohorts Joel Ablay, Michael Cenil and a certain Jun Maricar, who is still at large.

Velasco said Lumagui, who earlier claimed that he was ordered by Ester to scare Alicia without the intention to kill her, was the one who masterminded the killing.

He said Lumagui would have profited most in the death of Alicia, had their culpabilities have not been established, because with the death of the victim, Lumagui’s debt amounting to more than P100,000 would have been considered written off.

"Lumagui is not qualified to be a state witness as he appeared to be the most guilty among the four. The hottest place in hell is, indeed, reserved to those who bite the hands that feed them. Lumagui did not merely bite the hand of Assistant Secretary Ramos, he masterminded her killing. Not contented, he exploited the turmoil in the Ramos family in a distasteful and abominable attempt to exculpate himself from any criminal liability," Velasco said.

He said that there exists more than probable cause to warrant the indictment of Lumagui, Cenil, Ablay and Maricar for the crime of robbery with homicide.

He said Lumagui, at the time he was presented to media immediately after he surrendered last April, freely and categorically admitted his role in the killing of Ramos.

"Lumagui again voluntarily and categorically repeated the same extra-judicial confession at the Department of Justice. He admitted that he planned it and acted as the group’s leader," Velasco said.